We had a young man visit our service this morning who is a student at a local Bible college. He is a believer from Northern Ireland. We enjoyed having him over to our house after the service. Please pray for Alex as he seeks God's will for his life. We'd love having him attend our church if God saw fit to join him with us. It was a blessing just to find a young man who has a heart for God and a desire to do God's will.

God gave us beautiful weather for the second day in a row. We enjoyed taking the kids on a walk this afternoon near our home. This is mother's day in the UK. So, Katie made a special boquet of tulips for the mothers of our church family. I preached a mother's day introduction to a message on obedience telling our children that this would be the best gift they could give their mums. The message was from "God's Object Lesson on Obedience" from Jeremiah 35. Everytime I read this story in my Bible, I wonder why I haven't heard it more often and wonder if I have read it before. 

God gave us a good morning. Thank you for praying for our ministry.

Our family and the Hikin family handed out flyers in Edinburgh today. God gave us beautiful weather in the low 60's and sunny. This is by far the best weather of the year so far. We were able to hand out 1,000 flyers in just under 2 hours. The kids are a bit irresistable (almost) and people kindly took the flyers from them. Please pray that those flyers will bear much fruit. 

Nelson is the 6 year old pictured last. He said when we got done, "I bet I handed out over a hundred." My daughter and I looked at each other and I said with her agreement, "I'm sure he did." When he was refused the people after those who refused him would ask to take it. :) Just as a point of interest - David Livingstone's statue holding a Bible was right in the middle of where we were handing out flyers. I'm sure he would have given his approval to that ministry today.

7 years ago today our family left for Scotland. God has been very good to us in the 7 years that we have been here. The verse we claimed in coming was Jeremiah 32:41  "Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul." God has been very good to help us get settled here. We don't get homesick, because we are home. We were homesick for Scotland during our 6 month furlough in the States. 

We love our community and praise the Lord for all of the good relationships He has given to us here. God has also done a good work with our church. We have great expectations for what God is doing and will do with Free Baptist Church. The ministry verse we claimed after arriving is Neh 2:20  "Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build:" We still anticipate His blessing as we do the work of the ministry.

Thank you for your faithful part and interest in Free Baptist Church, Loanhead. Please pray for God's special blessing as we enter year number 8 of ministry in Scotland.

Don and I were able to finish a good part of the village of Rosewell today. The weather wasn't lovely as the temperatures were quite cold and rain was threatening, but the Lord gave one really good divine appointment. Please pray that Ryan (20) will visit our church. He was listening to music but took his headphones off to speak with me. Although he lives a good distance from our church, he is used to cycling near Loanhead to his work. It's refreshing to meet a young person who I believe is open to thinking about God.

I've been putting out flyers now in a village about 5 miles from Loanhead. The weather was a bit rough this morning as we awoke with snow on the ground and some strong snow showers. I didn't stay out too long and just did flyers for about an hour. On the way back I checked on a facility for a football tournament which we hope to organize again this summer. The venue which we used last summer is under construction. So, I'm looking for a football pitch not too far from area which is set up for five a side (like a basketball court with fencing around it) football. The facility I found will work very well. Please pray for wisdom as we seek plans for that tournament.

We're looking forward to our monthly youth activity this Friday. The church has purchased some fun equipment for a nerf war. Nerf has come up with new guns that shoot a foam ball at about 70 mph. (Big smile) I think it will be a big hit with our teens. Please pray for God's blessing on the activity and for wisdom as I prepare to preach to the young people.

We were down in attendance today as twelve regulars were away on holiday. But, we had a first time (on a Sunday) adult visitor attend who came with her two daughters. The daughters have regularly attended our church. Their mom has come for the last two Thursday nights. We're excited and hope she continues to come. 

I preached this morning on the Sheep and Goat Judgment from Matthew 25. It is a sobering judgment as the dividing line is put down the middle and eternal separation takes place. If you haven't studied the passage, it was a good study for me. I believe it is a judgment that takes place at the second coming of Christ and has to do with how God's Jewish preachers (brethren) were treated in the tribulation period by the saved (sheep) and the goats (lost). It's a convicting passage and I trust God used it in our hearts this morning.

Mac and Nelson were my door to door helpers.  (Katie was away at a ladies' prayer breakfast.) I knew the woman who answered the door at the first house and she asked me if I was babysitting. :) Mac doesn't normally do door to door with me - but it would be hard to refuse receiving something from a cute two year old. (I'll have to consider always having him with me!)

Thank you for praying for our family and ministry.

I was over helping Don this morning put out flyers in South Queensferry. It is a beautiful area overlooking the Firth of Forth and the Rail and Road Bridges accross the Firth (A Firth is narrow inlet of the sea where a river flows into it.) 

We had a couple good opportunities to speak with people. A builder whom we spoke with was asked, "Do you have any children?" He replied that he was expecting his first in a couple of months. We were able to encourage him to think about the responsability of teaching that child about God. It was a good wee chat. 

The second was the best opportunity as it seems Francis may likely visit the Dillman's church. She very definitely said that she would come and that she would bring a friend. She used to attend a Baptist church that met at a Hotel. Please pray that she will visit a new church plant that meets currenly in a home.

Please click on the following link to view pics from our holiday on the Isle of Skye. (Link) You can also find them at the bottom of our photo gallery page.

I put flyers out in Rosewell this morning. Rosewell is a village about 5 miles from Loanhead. I had a short conversation with two men but nothing notable. It was a beautiful morning to get out. Please pray for divine appointments.

I also gave tracts to two men who were unloading a beer truck in front of our home. I said as I walked out my door, "That's a sad cargo" and shared with them the grief we have seen because of alcohol in our community.  One of them men agreed and called it demon drink. Please pray that God would work in those two men's hearts. Please also pray that God will close the pub accross the street. We have prayed about this for several years and have told those who run the pub that God is able to shut it down. 

Katie's ladies' meeting is this evening. Please pray for God to bless His Word. The Trust Service went very well yesterday. Two of the ladies who faithfully attend that are going to come down to the house and attend the ladies' meeting. This will be their first time if they are able to come.

God gave us a great time away as a family as we spent a week on the Isle of Skye in Northern Scotland. I'll soon be uploading pictures from the trip. Skye is incredibly picturesque and we constantly were "oohhhing and aaahhhing' over the rugged beautiful landscape.

Special thanks to Don and Chris Dillman and Richard and Brenda Weaver for filling in for us in our absence. 

We had a good service this morning with good attendance. I preached this morning on "When Does IT End?" (I was asking the question regarding what we are living for.) We looked at verses from Psalms that speak about "for ever."

Now, we have 3 teens a child and adult over for lunch as we have the Trust Service (The Trust is an assisted living facility) this afternoon. God's good. Thanks for praying for us in our absence.

We are living in interesting post Christian days in the United Kingdom and the United States. A friend of ours forwarded an article to us yesterday regarding a recent court trial where street preachers were found guilty. You can click on the link if you are interested in reading about it. The article makes it clear that certain parts of the Bible quoted in public in the United Kingdom could constitute a hate crime. Please pray for God to give grace to His servants to stand in this evil day.